Yato
Yato means "valley settlement." Yato is in a valley. Surrounded by mountains. Yato residents chose "living quietly in the valley." Don't stand out. Quiet. Yato is a "hidden village." Yato residents "live in hiding." Why? Because for Yato residents, "standing out" is dangerous. In Edo period, Yato was a "hidden village." To escape taxes. To escape war. Yato residents find value in "hiding." But motorsports is a sport of "standing out." Racing cars are flashy. Engine sounds are loud. Opposite of Yato residents' "hiding" culture. For Yato, "noisy motorsports" is opposite culture. Yato residents seek "quietness." Bird songs. Stream murmurs. For Yato residents, "natural sounds" are comfortable. But motorsports is "artificial sounds." Engine sounds. Tire friction sounds. Today again, Yato residents live quietly in the valley. Circuits? That's a "noisy" place. Yato residents choose "quiet valley."
Yato averages cool winters (0–10°C) and warm, humid summers (23–30°C) with peak rainfall June–September; spring season (March–May, 9–23°C) offers the best track-day conditions with lower rain frequency.
10-yr monthly averages Rain days Driving season
| Track | Location | Length km | Laps | Avg Time | Avg kph | Distance km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuji International Speedway | Shizuoka, Japan | 4.54 | 58 | 1:56.7 | 140 | 79.5 |
| Sodegaura Forest Raceway | Chiba, Japan | 2.4 | 17 | 1:16.2 | 114 | 92.2 |
| Tsukuba Circuit | Ibaraki, Japan | 2.04 | 61 | 1:02.5 | 117 | 138.6 |
| Mobility Resort Motegi - Twin Ring Motegi | Motegi, Japan | 4.8 | 9 | 2:18.2 | 126 | 218.4 |
| Gunma Cycle Sports Center | Minakami, Japan | 1.23 | 0 | — | — | 234.8 |
| Nikko Circuit | Utsunomiya, Japan | 1.03 | 7 | 0:43.4 | 85 | 240.6 |
| Spa Nishiura Motor Park | Gamagori, Japan | 1.56 | 19 | 1:00.1 | 95 | 354.9 |